Hearing loss Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, back disability, and GERD have been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are denied as not related to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for an increased rating for right chronic wrist sprain, a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for thoracolumbar strain and thoracic scoliosis (claimed as upper back condition).

The Board has reviewed the evidence submitted since the October 20, 2020 rating decision and found it not relevant to the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Therefore, the claims are denied.

The appeal for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability is remanded.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating claims related to anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, a nerve condition, and a right knee disability. The Veteran's hypertension was not rated higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, flat feet, tinnitus, and plantar fasciitis have been denied. The Board found no current disabilities of these conditions at the time of filing or during the pendency of the claim.,Service connection has also not been granted for rhinitis, migraine headaches, and OSA (secondary to PTSD). These claims are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their onset in service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including right ear hearing loss, tinea unguium, actinic keratosis, and left calf pigmented nevus, have been rated as non-compensable. The three painful left shoulder surgical scars, left ankle achilles tendinitis, and right ankle achilles tendinitis are each rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and earlier effective date were dismissed due to the untimely filing of his Notice of Disagreement.

The Veteran is granted a separate 20 percent disability rating for his right knee meniscal tear, resolving the issue of entitlement to such.,His other issues regarding left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as they do not warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting the VA definition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.,Claims for a back disability and right and left knee disabilities are also denied as there is insufficient evidence connecting these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because he does not have a currently ratable disability owing to hearing loss that may be related to his military service.

The Veteran's rating reduction for bilateral hearing loss from 40 percent to 10 percent was not proper, and the 40 percent rating is restored. The claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The TDIU claim is also denied.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria, and the evidence does not support a finding that either condition began during service or is related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral pes planus, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to military service.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the Board has remanded his case to consider whether he is entitled to a higher rating.,For tinnitus, the Veteran's current 10% rating is being remanded as there are issues regarding whether his reported symptoms of sleep disturbance, fatigue, and headaches are related to his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has restored a 10 percent evaluation for service-connected hypertension effective January 12, 2024. The claims of entitlement to service connection for OSA and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as service-connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including anxiety condition, depression, insomnia, sleep disturbances (acquired psychiatric disorder), chronic fatigue syndrome, bilateral elbow condition, ED, bilateral foot condition, bilateral hearing loss, and migraine headaches. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and he is therefore granted TDIU benefits.